March 9, 1999 - A new area code, 856, assigned to southwestern New Jersey.

April 21, 1999 - Bell Atlantic launches "National 411 Service" in New Jersey.

September 21, 1999 - Bell Atlantic provides emergency phone service to victims of tropical storm Floyd in Bound Brook.

September 28, 1999 - Bell Atlantic partners with fact.com to deliver broadband video services over statewide "Access New Jersey" network.

November 4, 1999 - Bell Atlantic President and COO, James G. Cullen, announces retirement.

November 13, 1999 - Mandatory dialing begins for new 856 southern New Jersey area code.

November 19, 1999 - Bell Atlantic-New Jersey's telecommunications network becomes all digital with the installation of a digital switch in Haledon.

December 22, 1999 - Bell Atlantic wins FCC approval to offer long distance in New York.

April 3, 2000 - Bell Atlantic and GTE announce that they have selected "Verizon" as the new name of the combined company.

April 4, 2000 - Bell Atlantic and Vodafone Airtouch launch Verizon Wireless.

May 24, 2000 - New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, along with Bell Atlantic and AT&T, announce that New Jersey joins Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada and Pennsylvania as the only states in continental U.S. to offer 7-1-1 dialing for Telecommunications Relay Services.

June 16, 2000 - FCC approval paves the way for Bell Atlantic and GTE to complete merger.

June 30, 2000 - Bell Atlantic and GTE complete merger, creating Verizon Communications; Charles R. Lee is Chairman/co-CEO, Ivan Seidenberg is President/co-CEO.

June 30, 2000 - Bell Atlantic names Dennis M. Bone as state president in New Jersey.

July 3, 2000 - Verizon Communications begins trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the new VZ symbol.

July 6, 2000 - Celebrations take place in hundreds of company locations marking the launch of Verizon, the country's number one communications provider.

August 3, 2000 - Verizon wins 1 million New York long-distance customers.

August 23, 2000 - Verizon reaches a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with Communications Workers of America in Mid-Atlantic states, ending an 18-day strike in the region.

September 27, 2000 - New Jersey is first state in nation to deliver broadband video to its schools.

April 16, 2001 - The North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA) announced today that three new area codes - 551, 862 and 848 - have been assigned to the areas currently served by the 201, 973 and 732 area codes, respectively in northern New Jersey. The area code overlay will be effective December 1, 2001.

September 5, 2001 - Verizon today formally notified the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) that the company plans to file an application in December with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to offer long-distance service in the state.

December 1, 2001 - New Jersey customers begin 10-digit-dialing due to new area codes.  Callers in 973, 732 and 201 area codes must dial 10 digits for all calls.

January 28, 2002 - Department of Justice approved Verizon's application to enter long distance in New Jersey.

February 25, 2002 -- Governor James McGreevy launches New Jersey Reads, a non-profit created by Verizon and New Jersey State Literacy Leaders to raise awareness and support for literacy statewide. 

May 6, 2002 - Verizon holds groundbreaking for state-of-the-art Customer Service Megacenter in New Jersey, where more than 700 employees will staff center.

June 24, 2002 - Verizon earns FCC approval to offer long distance service in New Jersey.

July 9, 2002 - Verizon long distance coverage hits 44 states with New Jersey launch; 80 percent of company's local customers can now get service, single bill.

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